


Even eventually

by slothprincess



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-08-17 05:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16510004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slothprincess/pseuds/slothprincess
Summary: Kaz is perfectly content to ignore his less-than-friendly relationship with the infuriating Ocelot. They don't necessarily need to get along to do a job. But when Big Boss offers them an ultimatum : Get along or get lost, things go a bit sideways. Scratch that, a lot of ways sideways.





	1. Chapter 1

The air hung heavy with flies as Kaz shoveled another heap into the pile. Sweat stuck his shirt to his back dripping down in rivulets. And even the gentle sea breeze granted little respite from the grueling sun. Kaz scrubbed his face with his undershirt, searching in vain for a non-damp section. There. The left sleeve still had a dry portion. 

Across the paddock Ocelot stood, leaning against his own shovel looking blissfully unaffected. His jacket still buttoned primly and his scarf affixed in a loose knot. The wind whipped it about playfully. Bastard. 

Ocelot took a swig from canteen. Water dripped down his chin and Kaz almost moaned. His own mouth was cottony from the dehydration and exertion. There really was something to be said about being surrounded by so much undrinkable seawater. Drove a man loopy if he let it. What was the old saying? ‘Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink’? Something like that. 

His own canteen lay forgotten in the command platform’s office. Next to the little metal desk fan Boss had given him two Christmas’ ago. Or was it three? He’d have to ask him later. If there was a later. Snake didn’t make idle threats. The fact that they were here to begin with was proof of that.

Ocelot took another swig and Kaz watched more precious water slosh out. It hit the concrete evaporating almost immediately with an audible hiss. 

He was doing this on purpose. Taunting him. Probably hoping Kaz would beg him for it. Like hell he’d ever ask Ocelot for a sip. A man had his pride. He’d rather drop dead, which was looking increasingly more likely. At least his corpse might provide some sustenance to the animals on the platform if he died. Wouldn’t even have to move his body, they could just leave it here for the wolves to pick at. Whatever was left of it.

“I think you missed a spot,” Ocelot said helpfully, pointing out a dung pile.

“That’s on your side of the enclosure,” Kaz growled. How so like Ocelot to try and pawn his duty off on someone else. He extended a middle finger, then another, when Ocelot pretended not to notice. So what if he had to manually fold each of his prosthetic’s fingers? It was well worth the effort. Snake had roared with laughter the first time he’d shown him that particular trick, slapping him on the back and almost upending him. Hadn’t even been mad.

If only that had been the case that morning. They’d been called into the pathetic excuse of a store closet the Snake considered an office. Not an unusual request. Certain intel required face-to face induction. Occupying the Boss’s sole attention a rare opportunity after all. 

Ocelot, of course, claimed the room’s only other seat, a rusty folding chair. If the dent’s on it’s threadbare seat meant anything, it saw more action as a bludgeon than perhaps it’s original construction intended. It wouldn’t be surprising if one day the damned thing suddenly gave up the ghost and collapsed. Hopefully with Ocelot’s ass still in it. 

With no seats left Kaz was left to awkwardly hunch between it and a large ficus plant threatening to take over the office’s remaining space. It’s leaves pressed against the sole window yellowed from years of cigar smoke.

Snake’s gaze bore into Kaz, an unreadable expression on his face. Kaz adjusted his crutches and waited. Snake could get like this for hours. Lost in thought. The predator lying in wait for his prey. The silence stretched.

“This about the B Crew mission?” Ocelot asked. Snake’s one good eye flickered to him. Trace amounts of mud and dried blood from the field still decorated his face liberally. How easy it would be to wetter his scarf, wipe it gingerly from the hardened lines and scars. Kaz shook his head. Now wasn’t the time. Oblivious Snake continued.

“No, but it concerns them. Concerns all the troops.”

Kaz straightened. Now this was concerning. His duties involved keeping a keen eye on all Mother Base’s comings and goings. Schedules, soldier's aptitudes and capacities, the children’s education all fell to him. And he excelled at it. If a soldier even some much thought of sneaking an extra slice of pie, Kaz knew. Under his command the ship was a well-oiled machine. Kaz was able to address or reroute most issues long before Snake became aware. Obviously he missed something. But what? Whatever this was was big enough to rouse the Boss’s attention while avoiding his own. How?

For Heaven’s sake, the man spent more nights abroad then on base. And those he did were spent in a near comatose state of slumber. The only sign he hadn’t slipped back in being the bear-like snoring erupting from his quarters. Damnit what had he missed?

“It’s come to my attention you two haven’t been getting along.”

Kaz blinked. “Sir?”

It’s important Mother Base retains an atmosphere of unity. If we don’t trust one another this whole operation falls apart. And trust is key in the battlefield. If I can’t trust Ocelot to provide accurate intel or you to manage the base and supplies, I’ve failed. In-fighting only leads to chaos. If you can’t trust your buddy, who can you trust?”

Kaz hesitated to call Ocelot an acquaintance, let alone a buddy. As far as he was concerned they were squarely in “associates sharing the same space” zone. Two apex predators in the same territory with a shaky peace agreement. Stay out of my way, I’ll stay out of yours.

The man was infuriating. If Kaz drew up an infiltration strategy to boost recruitment, Ocelot insisted the focus should be on material retrieval. If Ocelot supported fultoning out a dangerous enemy soldier, Kaz jettisoned the idea immediately. The two were unequivocally at odds down to the last meal plan. (Humans were omnivores, not herbivores. The men needed a good hamburger now and then, budget be damned!)

Ocelot crossed his legs, absent-mindedly fiddling with the spur in his boot. “Neither of us participate in field operations beyond radio assistance, sir. Certainly, not at the same time. I fail to see how our,” he paused, as if tasting the word “…arguments are quite so extensive as to concern life and death.”

Kaz almost choked on his ire. “Then you’ve obviously miscalculated the last timetable you submitted.You have the soldiers working 12 hour days. How are they supposed to remain alert and focussed if they’re being overtaxed like that?”

Ocelot’s eyes narrowed, but his expression remained neutral, “I didn’t miscalculate. The troops have been restless. Assigning them extra duty keeps them busy and out of mischief.”

Kaz stomped a crutch against the ground, “You’re overworking them! It’s going to lead to mistakes on the field.” 

Ocelot’s chair screeched across the floor as he rose. Irritation marring his face. Ocelot advanced so close Kaz could see the patches of stubble his razor had missed. The fine white hair almost invisible except where it met the light. Admittedly they must be very easy to overlook when half your face was overshadowed by that beak of a nose.

“Enough!” A voice boomed and Kaz froze, his fist risen in preparation of a strike. Snake glowered over them, as much a terror on the battlefield, as one behind a desk.

“Ocelot. Miller,” their names were spat out in a sharp staccato inviting no argument, “Cleaning duty. Conservation platform now.”

 

***

A single milky-eyed boar stood apart from the herd. It chewed it’s cud, watching Kaz with an impressive level of bland indifference. If it noticed it’s hooves planted directly in it’s own filth, it didn’t care. Kaz sighed. If that thing tracked more dung over the portion of the paddock he’d just cleaned…

“That’s a wild boar, also known as an Eurasian wild pig. They’re native to North Africa and parts of Asia. Unless they’re aggressive the locals usually leave ‘em alone.”

“Wish you’d leave me alone,” Kaz muttered, shooting a dirty look Ocelot’s direction.

Ocelot shrugged, unflappable as ever, “I’m only running the base as I see fit. Like the Boss would want.”

Kaz froze.“What? You think I’m not?” Perturbed, the boar pawed uneasily in the dirt, shaking it’s muscular neck. “This is all your fault.” 

“I fail to see how assigning me blame fixes anything.”

“What else am I supposed to do? You undermine my every order.” Another boar lifted it’s head, curiosity piqued by the argument before it. “They’re not pawns, Ocelot. Not some disposable thing you can throw away when you’ve gotten everything you can from them. If that’s how we treat them, what’s the point? We might as well be any other PF.”

A strange expression belayed Ocelot’s face. Almost as if he was assessing Kaz, trying to remember something. But then his mustache quirked up, shoulders shaking. Kaz couldn’t believe it. He was laughing. The son of a bitch was laughing.

“Screw you!” Kaz growled, hurling his shovel. Despite his determination (and bionic limb) the shovel fell short from it’s target. Instead it smacked uselessly against the chain length fence. It’s force reverberated with a ripple throughout the entire pen structure. For one awful second the whole compound seemed as if it would collapse around them. With Kaz’s luck it’d only crush him. Ocelot would probably wander away unscathed.

Kaz spun on his heel, but when his eyes met Ocelot’s they were wide, his stance crouched as if expecting a fight. There was no way his throw spooked Ocelot that much.

“What now?” He demanded, exasperated.

“Shh!” Ocelot hissed, a finger to his mouth. Kaz whipped around, “Quiet?!” Where was she? Damn it, he knew he should have brought his pistol and now he’d thrown his only weapon at Ocelot. Even his crutches were a good few feet away propped against a gate. At the time his shovel had seemed an appropriate replacement. 

Had the Boss asked her to spy on them?

Ocelot huffed, “Not Quiet. The boars.”

The boars whipped in a frenzy, forming a knot of bristly hair, tusks, and hooves. The herd advanced towards them in thundering stampede.

“Shit!”

Kaz propelled himself forward, snatching up his crutches.Their grips sunk into the mushy ground, catching in the muck. Someone was yelling. The crutch’s grip held fast, ensnared in a root or some semi-hardened mud. He yanked forward, then overbalanced. The cuff jerked his forearm free as he fell sprawled in the mud. Behind him the boar’s breathing echoed. A hot, heavy rasp.

Outrunning the herd would have been out of the question ever for a star athlete. Maybe he would have had a chance of it in his prime, but as of now Kaz’s only option left was shielding his head from the worst of the damage. Maybe if he was lucky the boars would miss his most vital parts. He already made due with half the standard set of limbs, everything else was just bonus anyway. Kaz clenched his eyes shut preparing for the worst. Beneath him the ground shook. This was it.

A pair of firm hands snagged Kaz’s collar, yanking him into a horizontal roll away from the stampede. The two of them tumbled down the encampment, limbs intertwining, knees knocking against one another. They rolled to a stop inches from a pair of well-worn boots. Spitting out grass, Kaz looked up. Into the Boss’s grim visage.


	2. 2

Maybe it wasn’t too late to roll himself under the stampede. Not every solider died in a blaze of glory on the battlefield after all. Kaz had forfeit his chance of a distinguished death ages ago.

“T-thanks, Boss,” He mumbled. He didn’t dare look up, didn’t want to see the palpable disappointment in Snake’s frown. Instead he tucked his head, a disobedient dog licking his wounds. Streaks of grass and mud stained Kaz’s pants. Their empty leg flapped in the breeze. The proverbial white flag dyed in muck. 

Something under him shifted. Kaz registered a flash of red and worn leather tangled beneath him before a set of hands lifted him up. With chagrin he realized he’d been straddling the other man, the zip of his pants dangerously close to Ocelot’s face. 

Kaz expected a barb, some sort of pointed taunt, but Ocelot merely looked dazed. His hair fanned out beneath his head and his shirt rumpled half untucked from where he sprawled. In terms of grass and mud stains he fared even worse than Kaz. Large swathes of green and brown decorated his slacks, boots, and vest. Kaz wrinkled his nose. Judging by the smell, mud wasn’t the only thing smeared. 

Oblivious, or more likely impervious, to the stench the Boss offered Ocelot a gruff hand, yanking him up with such force he nearly left the ground. His commanders restored to standing positions, the Boss’s attention drifted to the sheep enclosure.

From his hip pocket a cigar slid out and was swiftly lit. It’s smoke billowed out in cottony puffs lost to the clouds above. In his youth Kaz had heard rumors of mystics who could divine the future from the shape smoke plumes wafted in, but they never much interested him. Now he wished he’d paid more attention.

The Boss took another long drag, “If this keeps up, I’ll have to dismiss you both.”

Kaz and Ocelot both cried out at once in a cacophony of senseless noise. Kaz felt rather like a spoiled child begging his father to escape a beating.

No. No. No. There was no way this was happening. After everything they’d been through. They built it from the ground-up. Together. Snake and Kaz. What would he even do without Diamond Dogs? It was as much his child as Snake’s. This could splinter them. Everything had been perfect. Before Ocelot showed up. With his red gloves and red beret.

“You obviously can’t get along.”

“So, just dismiss one of us,” Ocelot demanded. It didn’t require a smoke signal to foresee which of them he was angling to stay. 

Snake shook his head. “Has to be both. You’re both in the wrong. I can’t let one of you stay, and send the other one away. The troops will think I pick favorites.”

“Sending us both away will cripple Diamond Dog’s intelligence gathering, our contacts will split. Hell, we both know too many secrets to safely leave!”

“I can’t have someone on my management team that allows personal affairs to influence operations. You’ve both allowed your dislike of each other to effect troop morale.”

“I see,” Ocelot said, his eyes narrowing. Their fate was entwined now. If Kaz fell, Ocelot tumbled with him. Kaz could work with this. If there was anything he hated worse than working alongside Ocelot, it was working against him. Ocelot was a formidable opponent. Ruthless and desperate. Ready to gnaw his own limb off to escape a trap. Kaz had been there, done that. It wasn't terribly impressive.

A few minutes ago Ocelot had been all but ready to throw Kaz to the sharks. But now throwing Kaz to the sharks equalled hurling his own self in and Ocelot’s self-preservation would not allow this. He’d weasel a way out to save himself. And in saving himself,Kaz would be spared. All he had to do now was sit back and let Ocelot manage.And manage he did. Kaz could practically visualize the mental contortions he was twisting himself in as he grasped for a solution. Decision apparently made he yanked Kaz to the side with vigor.

Can you give us a second, Boss?” Ocelot asked in a tone that didn’t particularly inspire confidence before turning to Kaz with a dour look.

“Listen,” he hissed, “I don't’ like this any more than you do, but work with me here. The Boss is serious about this now. You know how he gets. But a few weeks in the field and he’ll forget all about this. He’ll find some new species of hellish desert bug to harass the scientists with, kidna- recruit some soldiers. Us squabbling will be the last thing on his mind. I’ll make sure of it.”

Kaz looked over to where Snake crouched, staring intently at the sheep enclosure some distance away. Ocelot’s plots forked and turned upon themselves until night was day, and black was white, a twisting mass of crosses and double-crosses. They did, however, tend to succeed in unexpected ways. Kaz arched a brow.

“Right. And just what are you proposing?”

“That we play nice. Just until his next ops. I’m going to propose a team-building—Boss, leave the sheep alone!” Snake’s hand slunk back sullenly and Ocelot muttered something about incorrect dosages before inhaling rapidly.

“Just agree with me, okay? We have to look like we’re making an effort.”

“Fine.”

“Now lean against me like we’re friends.” Ocelot demanded.

Kaz hesitated and Ocelot dug his foot behind Kaz’s knee and jabbed. Kaz bit back a yowl, but stumbled forward dutifully into Ocelot’s open arms. Making sure to throw all his weight atop Ocelot’s remaining boot with a hard grind.

“Let’s not keep the Boss waiting then.”

They marched forward. If neither of their smiles quite reached their eyes only the sheep took note.

 

***

Kaz blinked wearily up at the troops. Without his sunglasses their upside down faces conglomerated into a blurry, writhing mass. One of the kinder men had snatched them up from the concrete when they’d flown off the first time. Or at least he hoped one of the kinder ones and not some weasel looking for a half-blind cripple and an easy snatch. 

Ocelot jostled him, adjusting his hold. “Pay attention, soldiers!” He barked, “This is the proper hold for lifting and maneuvering a fallen combatant. Notice how I’m supporting the base of the spine. In the field we don’t always have time to wait for a medic… ”

Kaz tuned him out, he’d heard this spiel before. Hell, he demonstrated this lesson countless times .  Never had he been the dummy.

Ocelot hefted him higher, his hand inching closer and closer to Kaz’s ass by the minute. Kaz bit his cheek, irritation coloring his face. Pervy old man was probably doing it on purpose. To get a rise out of him. Ocelot was the king of gay chicken. Or the rarer straight chicken. Hell, any chance he got to make someone else uncomfortable was taken with reckless abandon and glee.

Luckily for Kaz the position he hung allowed him direct access to Ocelot’s sensitive parts and an increasingly tempting opportunity to get a knee in. An opportunity best left unexplored. Somewhere in that faceless crowd stood Snake.

And seeing as their continued tenure at Mother Base depended on persuading him of their cooperation, kneeing Ocelot’s gonads didn’t exactly land him in exemplary behavior. Kaz sighed and resigned himself to the stoic placidity of crash mannequin. It was going to be a long afternoon.

“Good work, men! Now clean up and head to Mess Hall!” Ocelot said, clapping his hands. For one heart-stopping second Kaz lurched forward, Ocelot’s grip on him abated by the sudden hand movement. Every muscle tightened, preparing for impact when Ocelot caught him last second. One hand grasped his wrist, the other supported the area between Kaz’s shoulder blades. His face dipped in close to Kaz’s own from the sudden shift in balance.

The world blurred to a focus on Ocelot. Ocelot’s lashes were long and blonde. A few fine age lines already carved their way into his face. The light played off the few fair hairs his razor missed. They were so close Kaz could almost trace the pale veins.

“See something you like?” 

“God, you’ve aged like a piece of fruit.”

Ocelot scowled and dropped him the rest of the way down with a harumph. Kaz’s back tingled and numbed where it had smacked against the mat with a wet thwunk. His spine wouldn't thank him for this in the morning. He coughed delicately and grinned. Worth it.

“I’ll escort you back.” Ocelot said suddenly, his back turned.

“I’m not some wayward maiden. I can manage my way back perfectly fine on my own. I’ve got crutches.”

“Without your glasses?” 

Kaz almost swore. The men were gone, choking down chili con carne and old war tales most likely, and with them his trusted aviators.

Ocelot grinned, “I wouldn’t want you to fall victim to some unwieldy grate or fall overboard.” 

“Not gonna happen, Ocelot.”

Ocelot looked scandalized. “But what would I tell the Boss if you tumbled into the ocean?”

“That you have an alibi?”

“I always do,” he said, shaking his head fondly.

“Fine.”

“You’ll walk with me then?” Kaz couldn’t read Ocelot’s expression but his voice rang with a faint amusement.

“Whatever. Let’s get this over with,” Kaz grumbled, “My prosthetics are starting to chafe.”

Ocelot was hardly requesting his company for pleasure. Which meant he wanted Kaz alone for some other reason. Kaz hoped it wasn’t to plan another training session. He had seen enough of floor mats for a lifetime and had zero intentions of participating in a repeat performance the Boss be damned.

Sure enough once they rounded the corner Ocelot halted, looking furtively around. Satisfied they were alone he cupped one hand to Kaz’s ear and spoke.

“Tomorrow The Boss is heading for Afghanistan.”

“That PF mission that got radio’d in last week? So what?” Kaz failed to understand the importance. As missions went it was pretty standard, sneak in, kill a few people, sneak out, _finito._ Hardly worth the secrecy.

“I’ve requested we brief him on the ride over. The information isn’t extremely confidential in itself, but I’d like to keep it between us three. I’ve noticed Eli and some of the other boys eavesdropping when they think no one’s paying attention.” Ocelot frowned, “Or at least they must be. Somehow they’re getting confidential information. I’m using this mission as an experiment on how.”

“Smart. By controlling the variables of how the information can be heard, you’re able to eliminate some of the possibilities of the leaks. And if the information is leaked, it’s not truly confidential and won’t matter to be heard.” Kaz hated to admit it, but he was impressed.

Ocelot grinned, “Plus, it’ll appear to the Boss as another feather in the cap of our _friendship_.”

The word ‘Friendship’ rolled off Ocelot’s tongue like a greasy eel, settling in Kaz’s gut like a heavy stone. Maybe they were getting a bit carried away with the subterfuge. 

“And as soon as The Boss’s boot touches sand, we’ll be back to tearing each other’s throats out like mad dogs.”

Kaz rolled his eyes. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The two walked in silence for some time before Ocelot breached the silence once again.

“You know, you were just as hard on the troops today as you accuse me of being. Maybe harder. I’m not exactly sure Running Frog deserved ten hours in the brig for dozing, when you yourself spent the good chunk of the session daydreaming.” Ocelot laced his hands behind his head, “Mmhm. Just something to think about when you try and legitimize your dislike of me.”

Kaz stared at the grates beneath his feet. The third one from the left was chronically uneven and could upend a man easily if caught unaware. 

He hated Ocelot and his insidious words. He was cruel to the troops. Treating them like pawns. No, that wasn’t quite right. Kaz was tough on them too, had made impossible decisions on which teams to send on missions, knowing full well who wouldn’t return. Every war had it’s sacrifices and Ocelot wasn’t the only one who would sacrifice every last man for a hair’s chance it would alleviate Snake’s pain in any form. Kaz would immolate the world itself for the Boss. So then why did he hate Ocelot so much? A difference in personalities? A difference in goals? 

Kaz side-stepped the grate, eying it warily. Beside him Ocelot hummed. His finger entwined around his revolver’s trigger. Transfixed, Kaz watched it make lazy spins as he twirled it. 

Kaz had asked him once why he preferred revolvers. They were slow to load, held limited fire power, and if you were lucky you got seven shots. Not nearly enough for a shoot out where an automatic could cut you down in moments. 

Ocelot’s face took on a dreamy expression as he recounted. Snake had taken one look at him, sized him up, and _known_. Known his optimal weapon. Known what made Ocelot tick. Better than he’d known himself. And judged him worthy. Even though they’d been enemies. 

Kaz and Snake had first met on the battlefield as enemies as well. He chuckled remembering how he’d tried to take out the Boss with a hand grenade of all things. As if such a tiny thing could destroy a legend.

Kaz stopped mid-stride. Suddenly he knew. Knew why he loathed Ocelot so much. Why every fiber of him desired to punch him out. How ironic. The force so intent on bringing them together being the force that splintered them in the first place. Snake.

“What, you waiting for a good night kiss?”

Kaz blinked, shaken from his revelation. The door to management staff’s quarters stood before him. Polished metal on metal. He’d been so encapsulated in his thoughts he hadn’t realized.

Ocelot leaned in and for a moment Kaz thought he actually might be going in for a kiss. Instead he slid something delicate and narrow into Kaz’s shirt pocket. The smell of sweat and aftershave lingering, before he turned on his heel, merging into the shadows.

“Good night, Miller.” 

Kaz stood alone save for the few nocturnal seagulls shrieking in the distance. Confused. The weight in his pocket felt like lead. Finally he slipped the item out of his pocket, his nerve’s numbed from the night’s chill. Fumbling he unclenched his hand and peered down at the object. Casting reflections in the pale moonlight were his aviators, still warm from Ocelot’s hold.


	3. 3

A fresh morning breeze drifted through the chopper threatening to send the Boss’s collection of memorabilia aflutter. Kaz sighed. It’s a wonder they’re all still accounted for. A particularly strong gust would be all it would take to send them scattering to the four winds. Kaz smoothed down a sun-bleached polaroid secured only with a thin strip of yellowed tape. Beneath the tape his own face grins back. Clear-eyed and beaming, one arm slung over Snake’s back, the other grasping a sloshing pint of beer. He should really look into a more secure system, it’d be a shame if information fell into enemy hands.

The morning’s mission overview had been succinct and to-the-point. A wet works operation intended only to throw suspicion off their true goals. Not nearly critical enough to require an in-person briefing let alone by two head officers. Snake hadn’t questioned the necessity of their presence and Ocelot offered him no explanations. Instead he hovered, fussing over Snake’s equipment much to Snake’s own irritation.   
Idle talk had proven difficult over the chopper’s roar and Pequod’s frequent radio transmissions.

When the constant whine became unbearable Kaz had given up altogether slipping in a pair of ear plugs. No wonder Snake sought refuge in his music. Even with his hearing loss the din was unbearable. Why Ocelot thought they were both required for this inane sortie was beyond him. He’d much rather be back at base. But if accompanying him on this colossal waste of time helped convince the Boss who was he to argue?   
The sooner Ocelot got out of his hair the better. The man was driving him absolutely crazy. Somehow between their impromptu training session and now Ocelot had managed to weasel his way from irritating into full blown hindrance. 

He’d accompanied Kaz to every meal, invited him to the shooting range on multiple occasions, and even sat next to him during the crew’s monthly movie night. An unfortunate move, as Kaz had been trying to pick up the soldier on his other side. The poor man had taken one look at Ocelot and hastily swapped seats with an unassuming Flaming Buffalo who, while attractive, was already in a committed relationship and could probably snap Kaz in half if she desired.

To be fair one look at Ocelot was enough to take Kaz out of the mood as well. The soldier could hardly be blamed for making a swift exit. Ocelot’s only response when pressed on it, had been to offer Kaz a handful of days old popcorn and a sneer. Frustrated Kaz returned to his quarters alone. Or as alone as Ocelot would let him. If things didn’t resolve soon Snake wouldn’t have to worry about the two getting along. One of them would be dead. Kaz would make sure of it.

“Pequod arriving at landing zone.”

Kaz blinked out of his revery as the chopper circled the clearing, kicking up dust and ruffling his hair. Snake waved Ocelot away from where he’d been meticulously inspecting Snake’s rifle and stood, clearing his throat. 

“I’m proud of you for putting your differences aside. Both of you.” And with that hopped out. Not a man of many words, their boss.

Kaz watched the Boss’s form grow smaller and smaller before finally disappearing into the brush lands. I’m proud of you. If only he’d thought to bring a recorder. As if the words weren’t already burnt into his mind, scalded like a hot poker. Something else settled deep in his chest. A lingering doubt.

“Do you feel…kinda bad?”

“About what?” Ocelot leafed through some paperwork.

“Misleading the Boss like this.”

Ocelot flipped another page, “Not even a little.”

“Me neither. But I feel like I should be.”

Ocelot shrugged, dog-earring a corner, “If it’s any consolation, he lies to you too.”

“Very funn—Wait, did you hear that?” Kaz strained his ears. There. There it was again. A slight shuffling.

Ocelot was already up, hand on his holster. A supply crate in the corner shifted the barest centimeter. So slight if he hadn’t been watching he wasn’t sure he’d have noticed. Kaz crept forward supporting himself against the metal framework of the helicopter. In his peripheral Ocelot nodded slightly, gun drawn.

In one swift motion he tipped the box. Loose shell casings and ammunition spilled out, ricocheting across the floor. Kaz rapt at the crate smartly with a crutch.   
“I’m coming out! Don’t shoot!” Came a muffled voice. High-pitched. Not a man then. A woman or child perhaps. Dragging himself by the elbows Eli wriggled his way out from the crate, expression defiant as always.  
Ocelot leveled his revolver before tucking it away again. Ocelot had found his spy.

“What do you want, Eli?” Kaz asked. Exasperation was quickly replacing the adrenaline.

“I thought we were evacuating base again and hopped in.” 

Kaz stared dumbfounded. Was the kid even trying to lie? That line hadn’t even worked the first time.

His disbelief must have shown. Eli scrabbled up. The glint of a parring knife clutched in his hands,“I’ll tell him!”

“Tell who what now?” Kaz asked, crouching cautiously. Such a tiny knife could hardly do much damage, especially handled by a child. But he’d also seen Eli with an improvised weapon before. The kid was vicious.  
“That you’re lying to him.”

Ocelot snorted, “You don't even know what we’re talking about.”

“Everything alright back there?” Pequod asked. 

Ocelot waved a lazy hand, “Everything’s under control. We’ve just got an unexpected guest.”

“I do too,” Eli interrupted, “I know you’re just pretending to get along and I know that he’s not the real—”

Ocelot lunged for the knife, knocking it across the cabin. But Eli was ready descending upon him like a wild animal. The two tangled in a flurry of limbs. A strong kick sent Eli tumbling across the cabin panting. The two eyed each other and for a brief moment Kaz thought it over. Ocelot must have thought so as well. He didn’t notice the missing knife nor the gleam of silver in Eli’s palm until it struck.

Ocelot stumbled backward.Ocelot froze suspended before the open door, his heels teetering perilously off the edge, a blossom of red growing on his chest. The wind whipped Ocelot’s scarf. Kaz leaped forward, careening to the ground as he grasped for purchase of the fluttering material. Hopes to yank Ocelot back in were dashed as another gust danced it away from his outstretched fingers. Instead he found himself overbalancing and barreling straight towards Ocelot. Ocelot crumpled under Kaz’s additional weight with a sickening crack. And for the umpteenth time in so many days Kaz found himself plummeting through the air.


End file.
